Off-the-wall wallpaper ideas

By Helen Goltz – Monday 22 September, 2014

Wallpaper never really went away but it is making a comeback and has to be seen to be believed.

Have you ever had the experience of discovering layers of wallpaper hidden under newly-laid paper or walls? Suddenly you are transformed back to a time when rich colours filled the room, or velvety flocked wallpaper beckoned you to touch the wall.

There was a time when every house had wallpaper in it. Then, for a while the feature wall was in – that’s just one wall that displayed wallpaper, oh so chic. Well, wallpaper is back but not like you’ve ever seen it before. And there’s a company in Brisbane that has captured the market and customers’ imagination – Art of Wall Installations.

Express yourself

Not only is wallpaper easier to install and remove, but it can tell your life story (yes, really). “One trend we’ve seen gaining traction is the concept of photo collages for those milestone
moments, that is the 18th and 21st birthdays and engagements,” says Bianca Koning. “People want to be able to express themselves and tell a story.”

Bianca with partners Sam Cowell and David Madigan, are the creative forces behind the “Wallpaper isn’t just about dots and stripes that you are stuck with until you move or break the bank to re-do. There is a real movement for bold colours, designs and photographic imagery,” she says.

Getting it on and off

Anyone who has attempted to strip or steam off existing wallpaper will be excited to know those days may be behind you. “Wallpapers have always been so difficult to install and remove, making them an expensive investment,” Bianca acknowledges.

“But the semipermanent wallpapers solve this problem, and we started to use it in homes and workplaces.

“So now the option to remove or update at a minimal cost is allowing people to experiment.”

Let the wall talk

“We give people the opportunity to visually convey a message,” Bianca says. “They have total control over the creative process – we just facilitate it, in an affordable and risk-free way.“I think it takes some people by surprise how much an installation can transform their space. It is a good feeling to help facilitate that. There have been some priceless reactions!”

Outside of the home

Wallpaper has moved out of the home and is making its way into schools, cafes, health venues, businesses – you name it. “We have taken on some really interesting projects, from home feature walls to hospitals even to a mess hall in the mines,” Bianca says. “It always amazes us how creative our customers are.”